1. Chill out
Say goodbye to that unsightly old ice chest and upgrade to a fabulous all-in-one drink station. The Cucina cooler stand features a built-in insulated cooler with a handy side duct to drain melted ice, a stainless-steel ice bucket, and an attached bottle opener. Choose from natural teak for $1,913, or four other finishes for an additional $451 or $459 at Country Casual Teak in Gaithersburg (301-926-9195; countrycasualteak.com).
2. Pillow talk
Brighten up a porch or patio seating area with a classic striped pillow in fun summer colors. The double-sided cover is made of Sunbrella, a fabric that resists fading, mildew, stains and chlorine. The Newport outdoor pillow is available in two sizes, 18 by 18 inches and 24 by 24 inches, for $39.50 and $49.50, at Pottery Barn in Bethesda (301-654-1598; potterybarn.com).
3. Neat seat
The Catherine settee, part of a new collection from Kingsley-Bate, blends two outdoor furniture staples. Extra-wide, all-weather wicker fiber wraps a solid teak frame and provides just enough give to be comfortable without cushions. It is 83½ inches long, 33 inches deep and 31 inches high, and retails for $890 at Offenbachers Home Escapes in Rockville (301-881-8565; offenbachers.com).
4. Where there’s smoke
If you like smoked wood flavor but don’t like hauling propane tanks, a pellet grill might be for you. Fueled by hardwood pellets, the
Traeger Pro 575 has a temperature range of 165 to 450 degrees, and provides precise control so you can cook low and slow or hot and fast. WiFIRE technology enables you to control the grill from your smartphone. Find it for $799.99 at Strosniders in Kensington (301-933-2207; strosniders.com).
5. Flame game
Don’t let mosquitoes ruin the outdoor fun and relaxation of an evening on the deck. Repel the pests with a hand-poured citronella candle in a decorative rustic clay pot. Made from soy wax and cotton wicks, the candle comes in two sizes—small, with a 20-hour burn time for $22, and large, with a 70-hour burn time for $98—at Terrain in Bethesda (240-345-9413; shopterrain.com).
6. Good to glow
Light up the night and add instant ambiance to alfresco family meals with these simple string lights. The 11-foot garland of 10 frosted globe lights comes in three finishes—nickel, dark bronze or brass (pictured)—for $49 at West Elm in North Bethesda’s Pike & Rose development (301-230-7630; westelm.com).
Carolyn Weber lives in Silver Spring and frequently writes about architecture and home design.
